Examination of Witnesses

Part of Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 10:40 am ar 19 Mehefin 2012.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Geraint Davies Geraint Davies Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Substitute Member) 10:40, 19 Mehefin 2012

The key problem for business at the moment, in my evaluation, is low consumer demand for products. In that context, businesses are looking to reduce overheads. Do you feel this change will create a cultural shift whereby businesses feel that they can more  easily move towards reducing their headcount in a way that they could not before? Will they say, “We have got to get rid of some costs so we will get rid of Anne and Andrew”—or whoever it happens to be—“even though they are not really doing anything particularly wrong.” Is this, therefore, a retrograde cultural change that will breed fear rather than hope in the workplace?